In a stunt supposedly aimed at demonstrating their anger that Speaker Kevin McCarthy broke his word to them in cutting the debt-limit deal, a dozen House Republicans just killed (for now) four . . . Republican bills.
Yep: It’s cutting off your nose to spite your face.
And an utter inside-baseball move: Technically, they joined every House Democrat in voting against the “rule” needed to bring the bills to the floor for debate and eventual vote.
None of the 12 pretends to actually oppose the bills, two of which aim to rein in federal bureaucrats and two to protect gas stoves specifically.
It’s a protest against “the imperial speakership,” says ringleader Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.).
Fine: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer would surely prevent any vote on the bills in his chamber, anyway, so this is a symbolic gesture over symbolic legislation.
But all Gaetz & Co. (which of course includes Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert) have really shown is that they can join with Democrats to block perfectly fine Republican measures.
For all their gab about delivering for their constituents, in other words, this is just toddlers tossing toys from their crib to win attention.
It also gives the usual media suspects grist for more rounds of “Republican infighting/incompetence” stories — which counts as a win for the Gaetzes and Boeberts, obsessed as they are with raising their own profiles, results be damned.
Nor will Matt or Lauren lose a wink of sleep if it means GOP Senate candidates next year can’t argue “vote for me to save your gas stove.”
Thing is, beating the Democrats is why voters sent them to Washington in the first place.
They claim to be “conservatives,” but “performance artists” seems more accurate.
This story originally appeared on NYPost
